Someone is Having Babies! Not Me, The Kids Turtle!

One of my brother in laws found a turtle on his way back to Metlili from Algiers. Being the animal lover that he is, he just had to bring her home! The kids are thrilled, watching her daily, giving her lettuce (leafy green of course) and apple leftovers. She bakes in the sun during the early mornings to mid afternoon then covers herself during the scorching late afternoon! She has the crack on her back, I wonder if a bird thought that she would make a lovely lunch and picked up her, flying as high as possible to only drop her down again attempting to break her shell... We have a new addition to our family and that bird was out lunch!

She laid a dozen or so eggs and buried them close to her a few weeks back. Now I'm waiting for them to hatch, the day is close I'm sure, I did some reading after contacting a Vet and sending her some pics and her official name is Testudo hermanni., I call her Hermie.

Supposedly they are amongst the "smarter" turtles. Whatever the case, I hope she doesn't die from the heat and lack of baths, the last few days it has been a degree or two above 110! My in laws think it's crazy to give her a bath, even though it is totally needed and recommended, saying as much as a couple times a week but at minimum once.

Fresh Fruit Today?

I always wanted to walk outside and pick my fruit, walk back into my kitchen and get to baking pies, cakes, tarts, tortes, muffins and or whatever else I could come up with!

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Green Apples

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Pomegranate
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Green Figs
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Green Pears
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Green Grapes

More To Come....

Back In Algeria, Southern To Be Exact & Metlili is Her Name

That would be a traditional tent. One of which I reckon nobody uses anymore, at least not for living anyway. We took a nice drive through a place called Seb Seb which isn't too far away from Metlili. One side of my in laws family is from there, my mother in law. People of Seb Seb are lovely, generous, hard working and decent people. I love Seb Seb!

Here is a traditional oven. I hope to one day have one of these in my backyard along with the picture below of a roasting bed for meat and another clay oven. Just think, freshly roasted meat and bread from a natural oven! HEAVEN!

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I found the structure of this so beautiful! This is how the roof is kept stable, all is made from palm trees!

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Here is the outside. This would be a lovely place to relax and drink tea or take a nap.

It has been more than one month of being back in Algeria.

Stove top Beef Stew

It's not traditional beef stew, but it's quite tasty just the same!

Ingredients:

• beef
• veggies of your choice
• cumin
• caraway
• onions
• garlic
• olive oil
• salt
• pepper

Brown seasoned beef chunks or chops, or an entire roast in hot olive oil.

Set the browned meat aside and caramelize the onions.

When the onions look soft and wilted add the garlic and continue cooking.

Add about one forth cup of water and scrape off the browned bits at the bottom.

Place the meat back in the pot and start adding your veggies.

Celery

Carrots

Potatoes

Zucchini

Put the lid on it, turn the heat to low and let it cook for an an hour or two.

Stir your stew, salt and pepper to taste then serve with warm bread.

Enjoy!

M'Hadjeb Linguine Night? Would you like a plate?

So this is by far from the traditional Spaghetti or Linguine that I grew up eating. But just because it's not something we grew up with doesn't mean it isn't just as good or not better!

This is something I make often using either Spaghetti, Linguine or Angel Hair Pastas, but usually not with M'Hajeb sauce, but a quick onion, tomato and garlic sauce I make on the spot. I don't like canned nor jarred spaghetti sauces at all. They are full of sugar and who knows what else. Making fresh sauce isn't hard, can be done using simple ingredients and is so relaxing! Why used something bought? Besides I don't throw away food, so many people don't have any and how can I not be thankful for the blessing I'm living in. This is a great way to utilize what is left over.

Ingredients:

• pasta of your liking
• m'hajeb paste, see here for the recipe
• dry or fresh parsley for the meat
• fresh minced garlic for the meat and sauce, how much depends on how much you like garlic ;-)
• fresh or dry basil
• ground black pepper
• salt
• olive oil of any kind
• ground turkey, chicken, beef or lamb, or omit meat and make some fritters to eat along side your pasta, see here for a simple recipe

How To:

Add your spices and garlic to the meat and blend gently until well mixed.

Form into balls and set aside.

Heat your skillet, dutch oven or pot until oil is sizzle hot. Place the meatballs gently in the oil and brown well and all sides.

Push the meat to the side and caramelize the garlic. After the garlic is browned a bit add the M'Hajeb paste and caramelize that as well.

Place the lid on and cook on low for about twenty minutes until all the flavors blend well and the onions, garlic and tomatoes are really soft and sweet.

Place your boiled pasta on top of the sauce.

Mix well and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.

If you are using basil now is the time to add it. The heat of the sauce will bring out all of the essential oils in the basil and will be so sweet!

Enjoy!

Two Weekends Ago; Lunch By The River

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He to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and Who has begotten no son (children or offspring) and for Whom there is no partner in the dominion. He has created everything, and has measured it exactly according to its due measurements.

-Quran Surah 25 Ayah 2

M'Hajeb

This is an Algerian dish that I enjoy making, it's fun to make the dough, it's fun to stretch it and fold it over and it's great for winter days as it's spicy! When I do make it, I love to eat at least three but I can only make it every couple of months, it's oil content is too high.

Pastry Ingredients:

• 4 cups of fine semolina
• 2 cups of room temperature water plus two tablespoons
• salt to taste
• light olive oil for frying and stretching out the dough

Filling Ingredients:

• 3 medium tomatoes
• 6 medium onions
• salt
• pepper
• cumin
• paprika
• hot pepper
• tomato paste

I used an entire package of semolina (I didn't measure it) and added water bit by bit until a very smooth and elastic dough was formed. You shouldn't be able to feel the coarseness of the semolina grains at all. This takes like twenty minutes by hand or ten by a mixer. I like to do it by hand, but the mixer works great too.

After the dough is soft, elastic, smooth and very silky, coat with olive oil and set to the side to prepare the filling.

Shred the onions and tomatoes. Cook on medium high heat, salted, until they are soft and all of the water is gone and all you have is a thick onion spread.

Season with the paprika, cumin and black pepper and finish cooking until thick.

Add a few tablespoons of tomato paste.

Set aside to completely cool.

Rolling out the dough is the fun part.

Don't worry if it rips in places, as long as the middle part is fine, the filling shouldn't leak out.

Make a lemon sized ball, and place it on a well oiled counter top.

Dip the dough into olive oil, or sprinkle some on top of it. I use Olive Oil, but really any oil works. Using a circular motion press the dough out until its paper thin.

Leave the middle thicker then the rest of the pastry so it may support the filling.

This is one of the worst pieces I have made, I used it to show that you don't need a perfect piece for perfect M'Hajeb.

Practice a few times and it will be perfect, but don't stress yourself out into tears!

Place a couple spoons of cooled filling and gently stretch the dough first opposite of the filling then turn it over onto the top side and covering the filling.

Repeat with the bottom.

Repeat with each side.

Place on a hot heavy cooking skillet, preferably something like cast iron. I use my two burner grill pan, cast iron, flat one one side, grilled on the other. A nonstick pan works as well, but in case you don't know they are extremely hazardous to your health.

Flip it when the side is well browned.

Sever with tea, or soup, or eat it alone with a glass of cold milk like me!

Enjoy!

Chicken & Olives Tagine

This is really one of my favorite dishes from Algeria! Its so aromatic, I love to make it and I really love to eat it.

One of the special qualities of this dish is how forgiving it is. You can add some things and take some away without any problems. Just make sure you have the olives, chicken and carrots with the spices and it will be delicious!

Ingredients:

• chicken of your choice, I use breasts
• olives
• carrots
• mushrooms (optional)
• potatoes (optional)
• one large onion
• one garlic head
• teaspoon of cinnamon
• teaspoon of black pepper
• pinch of salt
• teaspoon of turmeric (optional)
• preserved or fresh lemons (optional)
• fresh or dried parsley

I really love the taste of caramelized onions and garlic in olive oil, I think it really adds complexity and texture. I know a lot of people puree, grate, or blend the onions, I don't think it adds much to the dish, so I don't do it.

Caramelize the onions in olive oil then add the roughly chopped garlic half way through.

Add the sliced carrots, so they can also brown a bit. It brings the sweetness out in them and also helps with the color of the dish.

After the carrots are a bit brown, add the chopped mushrooms. I only half mine, but you can quarter them or leave them whole if you prefer.

Mushroom absorb most of anything you cook them in, so I like them best with the garlic and carrots. After they are a bit soft and cooked add the chicken to brown. This is also when I add the spices, minus the turmeric. Be really light handed with the salt as olives are salty.

After the chicken has browned a bit, add the olives.

Add the quartered or halved potatoes.

Add the turmeric and parsley.

I add just about a half cup of water and bring it up to a boil. If I were using preserved lemons I would add a wedge now.

I pressure cook this dish for about ten to fifteen minutes.

Add fresh chopped parsley for a garnish and use a baguette for your eating utensil for an authentic Algerian dish!

Enjoy!

Chunky Chocolate Zucchini Cake

Chocolate cake with ribbons of zucchini... who thunk this up? I have made/eaten this cake a few times and I always forget how much I love it until the first bite.

I think this cake makes for a great excuse to eat chocolate, why not? It's got my veggies too! :-D

Ingredients:

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 3/4 cups sugar
• 1 ts baking powder
• 1/4 ts cloves
• 1 ts cinnamon
• 2 cups shredded zucchini
• 2 cups chocolate chips
• 1/2 vegetable oil
• 1 ts vanilla extract
• 8 tbs butter at room temperature
• 1/2 yogurt at room temperature
• 2 large eggs at room temperature

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 325.

Stir together the dry ingredients.

Beat together the butter and oil until a nice cream has formed, about 5 minutes.

Add the sugar and beat for another five minutes or until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs one at time and beat well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.

On low speed gently stir in half of the flour mixture.

Stir in the yogurt.

Add the last of the flour mixture.

Fold in the chocolate chips and zucchini.

Pour into a 13x9 dish. Spread evenly and bake for about 50 minutes. The cake will be well risen and a toothpick will emerge pretty clean.

Cool the cake and cut into serving sizes of your choice.

Enjoy!